Abstract: With the large number of analog switches on the market today, there are many performance criteria for a product designer to consider. This application note reviews the basic construction of
Abstract: Using a DAC and a microprocessor supervisor, the system safety can be improved in industrial controllers, programmablelogiccontrollers (PLC), and data-acquisition systems. The analog output is set to zero-scale (or pin-programmable midscale) when amicroprocessor failure, optocoupler failure, or undervoltage condition occurs. A simple application is shown on how to implement thisfunction.
The LT®6552 is a specialized dual-differencing 75MHzoperational amplifier ideal for rejecting common modenoise as a video line receiver. The input pairs are designedto operate with equal but opposite large-signal differencesand provide exceptional high frequency commonmode rejection (CMRR of 65dB at 10MHz), therebyforming an extremely versatile gain block structure thatminimizes component count in most situations. The dualinput pairs are free to take on independent common modelevels, while the two voltage differentials are summedinternally to form a net input signal.
Photodiodes can be broken into two categories: largearea photodiodes with their attendant high capacitance(30pF to 3000pF) and smaller area photodiodes withrelatively low capacitance (10pF or less). For optimalsignal-to-noise performance, a transimpedance amplifi erconsisting of an inverting op amp and a feedback resistoris most commonly used to convert the photodiode currentinto voltage. In low noise amplifi er design, large areaphotodiode amplifi ers require more attention to reducingop amp input voltage noise, while small area photodiodeamplifi ers require more attention to reducing op amp inputcurrent noise and parasitic capacitances.
One of the most critical components in a step-up design like Figure 1 is the transformer. Transformers have parasitic components that can cause them to deviate from their ideal characteristics, and the parasitic capacitance associated with the secondary can cause large resonating current spikes on the leading edge of the switch current waveform.
Differential Nonlinearity: Ideally, any two adjacent digitalcodes correspond to output analog voltages that are exactlyone LSB apart. Differential non-linearity is a measure of theworst case deviation from the ideal 1 LSB step. For example,a DAC with a 1.5 LSB output change for a 1 LSB digital codechange exhibits 1⁄2 LSB differential non-linearity. Differentialnon-linearity may be expressed in fractional bits or as a percentageof full scale. A differential non-linearity greater than1 LSB will lead to a non-monotonic transfer function in aDAC.Gain Error (Full Scale Error): The difference between theoutput voltage (or current) with full scale input code and theideal voltage (or current) that should exist with a full scale inputcode.Gain Temperature Coefficient (Full Scale TemperatureCoefficient): Change in gain error divided by change in temperature.Usually expressed in parts per million per degreeCelsius (ppm/°C).Integral Nonlinearity (Linearity Error): Worst case deviationfrom the line between the endpoints (zero and full scale).Can be expressed as a percentage of full scale or in fractionof an LSB.LSB (Lease-Significant Bit): In a binary coded system thisis the bit that carries the smallest value or weight. Its value isthe full scale voltage (or current) divided by 2n, where n is theresolution of the converter.Monotonicity: A monotonic function has a slope whose signdoes not change. A monotonic DAC has an output thatchanges in the same direction (or remains constant) for eachincrease in the input code. the converse is true for decreasing codes.
ANALOG INPUT BANDWIDTH is a measure of the frequencyat which the reconstructed output fundamental drops3 dB below its low frequency value for a full scale input. Thetest is performed with fIN equal to 100 kHz plus integer multiplesof fCLK. The input frequency at which the output is −3dB relative to the low frequency input signal is the full powerbandwidth.APERTURE JITTER is the variation in aperture delay fromsample to sample. Aperture jitter shows up as input noise.APERTURE DELAY See Sampling Delay.BOTTOM OFFSET is the difference between the input voltagethat just causes the output code to transition to the firstcode and the negative reference voltage. Bottom Offset isdefined as EOB = VZT–VRB, where VZT is the first code transitioninput voltage and VRB is the lower reference voltage.Note that this is different from the normal Zero Scale Error.CONVERSION LATENCY See PIPELINE DELAY.CONVERSION TIME is the time required for a completemeasurement by an analog-to-digital converter. Since theConversion Time does not include acquisition time, multiplexerset up time, or other elements of a complete conversioncycle, the conversion time may be less than theThroughput Time.DC COMMON-MODE ERROR is a specification which appliesto ADCs with differential inputs. It is the change in theoutput code that occurs when the analog voltages on the twoinputs are changed by an equal amount. It is usually expressed in LSBs.
Power conversion by virtue of its basic role produces harmonics due to theslicing of either voltages or currents. To a large extent the pollution in theutility supply and the deterioration of the power quality has been generatedor created by non-linear converters. It is therefore ironic that power convertersshould now be used to clean up the pollution that they helped to create inthe first place.In a utility system, it is desirable to prevent harmonic currents (which resultin EMI and resonance problems) and limit reactive power flows (whichresult in transmission losses).Traditionally, shunt passive filters, comprised of tuned LC elements andcapacitor banks, were used to filter the harmonics and to compensate forreactive current due to non-linear loads. However, in practical applicationsthese methods have many disadvantages.
